Click Vs. Brick: An Exploration Of Mp3 File Sharing And Mp3

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access to copyrighted music.
There are numerous arguments originating from all sides of the debate. Many of these are mutually exclusive and, therefore, cannot all be substantiated. McDougall (2000) published an article online, in which he summates the main arguments listed below:

• Copying is fair use
• Copying is theft
• Music wants to be free
• Napster users buy more CDs
• Music companies make too much money
• Music companies will make more money with Internet distribution
• Musicians can’t make money with Internet distribution
• Musicians will make more money with Internet distribution

Within the context of a report, the following discussion will evaluate these key points from the perspective of the consumers, musicians, and record companies.

The Consumers’ Perspective
There are two fundamental arguments that endeavour to justify online music piracy from the consumers’ perspective. The first is that copying is fair use. Many believe that subsequent to buying a ...

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RIAA and the major labels have attempted to lock up our culture and heritage through extensive lobbying, outrageous campaign donations, misleading our political leaders and lying to the public, while misrepresenting the facts.”

This suggests that consumers have the right to download music for free, as the practices of the major labels and industry bodies such as the RIAA are questionable. This is irrelevant as stealing intellectual property is still stealing, despite the substantiation of a physical product. “Piracy is theft. It is the reproduction of someone’s copyright without their approval and generally on a commercial scale.” The International Federation of the Phonographic ...

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